Ionic switching tube



Allg- 17, 1954 w. w. RIGROD 2,686,900

IoNIc swITcHING TUBE Filed Aug. 29, 1951 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 17, Y1954 `IONIC SWITCHING TUBE `William` W. Rigrod, Bloomfield, J., assigner to Westinghouse Electric Corporation,` East Pittsa corporation of Pennsylvania Application u August 2Q, 1951, Serial No. ,244,229`

"In the electronic art, there are occasions where itis desirable or necessary to passa limited number `of ultra high frequency wave pulses inter-hr mittently with complete interruption of passage of anylpulses whatever. An instance of this character is in connection` ausystem the beam is sequentially emitted from successive antennas necessitating lthat only one at a time shall transmit and allothers not transmitting or receiving. l i.

',Theswitch of the present invention can accordingly be ,situated one in series with each antenna` to; pass the wave energy at the moment itsantenna is to operate and toprevent passage of Wave energyduring the periods in which each of x the` other kantennas sequentially operate. While the switchhas other uses, it is not deemed necessary to elaborate thereon, it being sufcient to indicate `the one use asevidence of the utility of my invention.

Forthe information of the less informed, it

may` behere explained that the useof reflection of `radio waves for various purposes as determina` tion of altitude of an airplane to ground, for loeating `one plane from another or from a xed station, and for other` purposes, is anwaccom-` plished fact, and is known under the general designation of radar. In such systems, the wave is generated, passed to the antenna and `into space, reflects `from the object addressed, `returns tothe antenna, and thence to the receiver. Some systems rotate the antenna and its rotational position `at` the moment `of receipt of a reected signal; determines the directionwhere the object is located. The present system, however, utilizes a plurality of antennas having fixed relationship pointing in different directions, and direction of the object from which the signal reflects is determinedby appropriate indication of whicligan-` with radar scanning` with xed instead of rotating antennas. In such claims." (Cl. 33e-13) l 2 In general terms, an object of the inventionis to obtain a break-down short circuit path effective over a wider range of applied radio frequency h voltage in the line tube.

A more specic `object of the invention is to protected by the switching vary the break-down level of the switch by vary` ing the` pressure of the ionizable medium emplayed.l

Other objects of the invention will appear toV persons'skilled in the art to which it appertains as the description proceeds, both by direct recitation thereof andby inference from the context. i Referring to the accompanying drawing, in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views:

Fig. f1 is alsomewhat diagrammatic view of a radarsystem wherein each of a plurality of Waveguides to fixed antennas includes a switch of the presentinvention;

`Fig. 2 is` a longitudinal section of one of the switches in its generic embodiment;

Fig. 3ds a cross-section on line Ill- III ot tenna issued and received the micro-wave pulse reflected back to the receiver. Consequently, `only one antenna should function at a time.

. Basically, the invention `proposes a switchhaving adirect and positive control of wave energy in a waveguide to fully pass,or fully interrupt the Wave energy as desire I A further primary object of the invention is to vary the; breakdown level of the ionizable medium of a switching tube synchronously with a pulsed signal;

An objective closely related to the foregoing one is to lower the break-down voltage level of the medium during the pulse interval when radar` system is shown providing a transmitter` I0 with an output waveguide II for the pulsed energy therefrom. Laterally from the waveguide II is a branch line I2 to a receiver I3 protected by a TR-box I4 in the branch line. Further from the transmitter than said branch line, the wave` guide is splitinto a plurality of feeder lines I5 to a like pluralityof antennas I6. I'n each of these feeder lines I5 is an electronic switch I1 of the present invention. `It is to be understood that waveguide Il and lines I2 and I5 above referred to are all rectangular waveguides, prefer-` ably having cross-sectional shape such that long dimension a is greater thanhalf of the length of the characteristic wave length, and short dimension b is less than half of that typical wavelength.

The switch, as shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, comprises a cavity resonator I 8 likewise having transverse dimensions a and b and .having end walls I9 each with anopeningor iris 20 looking into the waveguide in opposite longitudnaldirections. Said opening 20 is closed by a window 2i of glass or other suitable material through which wave energy may pass readily, but which will seal the resonator enabling said resonator to be evacuated and charged with an ionizable gas, of which argon, neon, krypton and the like are examples.

As hereinbefore indicated, the problem solved by the present invention is to obtain a switching tube such that the break-down Voltage for ionization is small when the ionization is desired,

but large when ionization is not desired. Theory and experiment have shown that, fora given. cavity resonator geometry, the curve of the break down field strength, namely; volts percentimetem versus gas pressure is in accord with the Paschen curve for D.C. voltage breakdown, asv shown in Fig. 5. It will be observed the eld strength. is very high at low pressures, decreases, at the left of the curve with increasing pressure until it reaches a minimum and then increases gradually from that minimum as the pressure increases; According to the invention as= hereinl specifically described, the pressures are employedfor that part of the descending curve fromhighto minimum iield strength, so that in the ionicI switch, for-variation of field strength froma very lowl value (Vmm) to a very h-ighI Valuev (VmaQl at Varying decreasing pressures within the relatively low range, an electrodeless gas discharge takes. place, and with the pressure varia-tion applied periodically and synchronized with the signal pulsev of the radarvsystem. Accomplishment. ofthis desid'eraturn is obtained by Varying the gaspressure pl in the switchbox, utilizing a low sta-tic gas pressure so that the electricaly break-downoi the gas is as above described represented atr the left; end; of the curve1 of Fig. 5, inwhich voltages decrease tol a mini-mumwhile the pressure on the increase. i Thus, in thestructural show-fr period when the switchhasA is ing, during the pulse to prevent` passage of the high power outgoing signal., the pressureisy increased so` as to causeA the gas to ionizey at a lower''eld strength graphically on the left end dip of the curve between Verax and Vm, to and-including the lowest' Vmin when the maximum pressure Pmsx is applied.

On the other hand, whenit sdcsiredy to'transmit'a high power outgoingfpulse, `the gas'pressure is reduced from Pmax toA a considerably-smaller valueat which the break' down field strength rises, graphically atd the leftend' ofthe curve of lfig;` 5", towardn or to Vinex, preventingY ionization and. therefore not pulse. In the typical utilizationv of the invention, only one ofthe several' switches at a time is restrained, from interrupting the outgoing signalwhereaspall yof the others areY causedv to ionize andi thereby interrupt all:v ofU those high power pulses, In. this manner, the outgoing pulse radiates from only one antenna at any one instant.

The mechanism by which the variedv pressure is introducedA may` be ofV sonic or supersonic nature of' a character applying' a high-intensity wave to the ionizablej gas successively compressing and relaxing the gas; The pressure-time'4 curve for ionization controlling wave may be sinusoidal or:non-sinusoidal;v but in any event; synchronized with the signal pulse.

An arbitrarily selected embodiment of the iinventionior illustrating one particular means' of producing thegwave pressure is depicted in Figs- 2fand 3` andk comprises provlsion of two :flexible diaphragms. 22 parallel to each other; and, inthese'rflgures, at opposite sidesK of and constituting part of the sidewalls ofthe cavity'resona-torinterrupting the outgoing for both diaphragms.-

of the switch box. If desired, and as shown in Fig. 4, the diaphragms 22 may be outside oi the cavity resonator but still a part of the side Walls of the switch box. In this case, the cavity resonator has fixed side walls 23 with perforations 24 opposite the diaphragms. Flexing of the diaphragms will therefore not alter the volume of the cavity resonator, but still: can vary the pressure in the entire" box including the resonator. In4 both arrangements, said diaphragms are sealed at their entire peripheral margins to the wallv margins bordering openings in said walls of substantially corresponding shape and size as the dapl"iragms,e so the.v diaphragms completely close sarcli openings with the inner faces of the diaphragms having direct contact with the ionizable gas in. the box: and with the outer faces of the diaphragms exposed to the atmosphere. Wave impulses applied, therefore, to the exterior faces of the diaphragms obtain` a responsive flexing or Vibration' off' the diaphragms which set upf a: corresponding sequentiall compression and relaxa-A and connected tohavesthe polesythereof toward.: theI diaphragms` simultaneously of the sameepoi-J larity; Thus, both diaphragmswill`| bei nexedf outwardlysimultaneously` and inwardly: simul-` taneously. Currentior the electrcmagnets may be derived from a source 32 and successively.-aprpliedto'and'- interrupted; from connections with the magnetsl byv any: desiredl s-ynclironizers 3&1 conf-- trol-led by'fthepulsingy of the transmitterl I0; Ap:- propriateconnection is, off course, made between the synchronizer andv receiver to distinguishes; towhich antenna;` receives'L the reflected signal.:V

I-claimav 1f. An ionic switch-tube comprising cagas-tight; enclosure havingalwindowfor'passagecranielece tromagneticl wave,l said enclosure having; annex-- ible wallgportion and said.'A enclosurehaving: an: ionizabl'e gasl Y therein pressure whereof beV varied-'by flexing Saidwal-lf portionn, andI means'sexfternalf on and operativelyassociated' said; Iiexible wallfporton for flexing said .walt portion.. and thereby vary the gas pressure.- withintne;V` enclosure;

2 An ioni'c= switching' i tube.` comprising'. a. gas.` tight enclosurey having opposed=-windows .ferr pas@ sagesoi" an electromagnetic wave'` through the enclosure;` said= enclosure havingI a flexible walk. portion laterally located-tothef-directionof; pro:- pagation ofsaidfwavethrough the; enclosure; `said enclosurel havingI an ionizablefgas thereinimaking; contact witlr said flexible walkv portion, and;r `means external of andioperatively. assc'ciatetb with said flexible wallr portion forf flexing said wall portion-and: thereby vary thergasrpressme within. theenclosurea 3. An ionic switching tube comprising aigasitig-ht enclosure having. a iiexible. magneticsresponsive walt portion, saidrenclosurehaving are icnizable g-astherein, and anrelectromagnet ex'- terior to said flexible wall'. portion.; and close The magnets arev wcundi`V thereto for applying magnetic flux of the magnet to ex said wall portion and thereby vary the pressure of said gas within the enclosure.

4. An ionic switching tube for use with a pulsed Wave, comprising a gas-tight enclosure having a exible magnetic-responsive diaphragm, said enclosure having an ionizable gas therein conned b-y said diaphragm, means for exing said diaphragm and thereby varying the pressure of gas conned by said diaphragm, and a synchronizer for relating the exing of said diaphragm to the wave pulses. i

5 said ionizable gas in said tube.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 2,412,892 Krasik Dee. 17, 1946 2,576,100 Brown Nov. 27, 1951 

